Vigil honors 3 teens killed in Ohio crash

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (AP) -- Dozens of friends and classmates gathered near a southwest Ohio high school to remember three students killed when their car ran off the road and hit a tree.

The vigil took place Wednesday night at the Future Farmers of America barn behind Tecumseh High School in New Carlisle, near Springfield. The early morning crash killed 17-year-old Daniel Tittle of Medway, 15-year-old Wesley Culpepper of Huber Heights and 16-year-old Charles Luthe of Springfield.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol said speed was a factor in the crash, which a trooper said was one of the worst he'd ever seen.

"I've seen some bad crashes, but to have the vehicle split the way it is, it definitely involves high speed and just some very careless, reckless driving," said Lt. Brian Aller, commander of the patrol's Springfield post.

Aller told the Dayton Daily News (http://bit.ly/1iDen6v ) that it could be days or weeks before evidence and accident reconstruction crews can determine who was driving and exactly what happened. He didn't know where the teens were going when the accident occurred at about 6 a.m. in Springfield Township.

Tecumseh Local Schools are on spring break, but the district announced that counseling will be available for students Thursday at the high school. Counselors also will be available when classes resume on Monday. The district also said it canceled its annual mock crash in April during prom season.

School district leaders said in a statement that "we are grief stricken over the loss of our students."